Alabama – Two Alabama day carre empIeyees, K. GiIIey and M. Kroker, were each sentenced to five years in prison as part of a twenty-year split prison sentence that also includes three years of probation after they complete their prison terms, Alabama authorities reported. The women will serve their full five-year terms behind bars and are not eligible for parole or early release, according to court records and news coverage from multiple outlets.
Both defendants pleaded guilty to charges related to the abuse of children in their care at a local dayccare center in Alabama. The charges against them stemmed from a police investigation that began two years ago after the parents of one child noticed bruising and swelling that had not been present earlier in the day. Those injuries led to a hospital visit and a referral to local law enforcement, which in turn triggered a broader inquiry into the operations of the daycare and the conduct of its staff.
Law enforcement officials, including officers from the local police department, responded to the hospital after receiving reports of possible abuse. During interviews, the child’s parents told investigators that their child’s injuries were not present when the child was dropped off at the daycare earlier that day, but were evident at the time of pickup. Police then went to the daycare and began gathering evidence as part of a formal investigation. Surveillance footage obtained by investigators reportedly showed both women taking turns striking the child, which was a key piece of evidence in the case…